Cubs spoil Astros’ return to Wrigley

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CHICAGO – A career-high nine strikeouts by starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel and Chris Carter’s team-leading 15th home run amounted to little for the Astros on Friday against the Chicago Cubs’ Matt Garza.

Allowing just four hits and striking out eight, Garza owned the Astros from the first inning and guided Chicago to a 3-1 win during an interleague matchup at Wrigley Field between two of baseball’s worst teams.

The game was postponed 3 hours, 18 minutes due to a rain delay.

The Astros (28-47) entered Friday 13-9 since May 29, tied with Oakland for the best record in the American League West during the span. Seventeen of the 22 games were decided by three runs or less, though, and a rebuilding club that’s recently found creative ways to win tight games lacked magic against Garza.

Keuchel and Garza didn’t allow a run through the initial three innings, while the latter didn’t give up his second hit until the sixth.

Chicago (30-42) lefthanded cleanup hitter Anthony Rizzo broke through in the top of the fourth, taking Keuchel’s first pitch of the frame – an 88 mph cutter left up in the zone – to deep right field. Rizzo’s 11th home run of the season gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead.

A solo shot by Chicago leadoff hitter Darwin Barney followed in the fifth, making it 2-0 Cubs.

Chicago’s third solo home run in three innings — courtesy of Scott Hairston in the sixth — stretched the Cubs’ advantage to 3-0.

The fourth solo blast belonged to the Astros’ Carter, who deposited his 15th homer in the center-field bleachers during the seventh inning.